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(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1Q G. A. GooDsoN.

TOY. l No.431,656. l Patented July 8, 1890.

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UNITE-D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. GOODSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOJAMES F. WILLIAMSON AND WILLIAMV H. BLODGETT, OF ySAME PLACE.

,I ToY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,656, dated July 8,1890.

Application lecl April 10, 1890i. Serial No. 347,435. (No model.) i

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE A. GooDsoN, a citizen of the Dominion ofCanada, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toys;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to 1o which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to toys, and has for its object the construction ofa device of low initial cost that will amuse both adult and child.

An embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the diiferent figures ofthe drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig.2, a cross-section on the line 0c fc of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a planview of one zo form thereof. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectionof a modification, and Fig. 5 is a transverse section on line y y ofFig. 4 wit-h the catch-plate removed.

Like numerals are placed on like parts throughout the several views. i

1 is a base or bed plate, which may be provided with a house or covering2 at one end.

3 3 are standards rising from the bed-plate and each surrounded by acoiled spring 4.

5 is a catch plate or block, provided with perforated lugs 6 6 fittingover the standards 3, with a knob or protuberance 7 adapted to be struckby the hand and with a' concave striking-face 5X.

8 is an elastic cord secured to the bed-plate or house at its rear end,and 11 is the ligure of an animal (shown as a rat or mouse) secured to`the cord.

8X is a non-elastic cord secured to the figure 11 at one end and passingthrough a perforation in a plate 9 at the other end, where it isprovided with a ring or finger-piece 10.

In the modication represented in Figs. 4 and 5, bed-plate 1 is providedVwith a groove 12 on its under side for receiving and concealing anelastic cord 13, which passes over a roller 14, journaled in a recess atits rear end, passes through a perforation in a block l5, which carriesthe figure 11, and is attached 5o at its forward end to a cross-head 16,provided with ears lfconnected by a transverse pin 17.

18 18 are elastic cords connected at one end 4with* the ears 16 and attheir forward ends lines in Fig. 4.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 operates asfollows: The iigure is vnormally Within the house or covering 2,butfcanbe caused to emerge therefrom by 7o pulling on the cord 8X, whichwill cause elastic cord 8 to become distended and tend by its reactiveforce to pull the figure backward within its house. A series of shortjerks may be given the cord, which will cause the figure to advance andjust emerge from the house and Athen quickly retreat. This pulsatorymovement of the figure will tend to confuse a person standing with hishand extended over the knob of the catch-plate in readiness 8o to strikethe same a blow to force it downward to catch the figure when it ispulled beneath the catch-plate and let go to fly backward within thehouse.

A very amusing game (which may be termed Catch the rat) is afforded bythis toy, as it requires great quickness-in fact, almost synchronousthought and action-to drive the catch-plate down quickly enough to catchor intercept the rapidly-moving iigure. It is 9o astonishing how oftenthe descent of the catch-plate will fall short of the mark, and theefforts to drive it down quick enough to catch the figure areexceedingly amusing to old and young. The figure will be made of someyielding material, preferably rubber, which will not be injured bytheblows of the catch -plate As the catch-plate is forced downward, thesprings are compressed, and by their reaction immediately force theplate roo upward as soon as pressure is removed therefrom. Asthe face ofthe catch-plate is concave, it strikes the figure and acts to catchr thesame more readily.

In the device represented by Figs. 3 and 4, the block 19 is normallyheld to block 16 by catch 20, and the two blocks move together until thetail-piece of'catch 2O comes into contact with incline 24, which willtrip the latch and permit the elastic cord 13 to exert its stress topull the figure back Within the house. After the grasp on ring 22 isreleased springs 18 Will immediately exert their force to return block19 to its normal position. As

the block moves back, the 4tail-piece of the latch 2O comes into contactwith the end wall '25 of groove 23, and the latch is thereby rocked andmade to engage cross-pin 17.

The block 15, onwhich the iigure is mounted, is provided with a,perforation snugly tting the cord 13, and thereby holding the blockthereto with sufficient binding force to cause it to move therewith. Ifthe catch plate should be depressed and catch the gure before'the block16 has completed its Aforward movement, the cord will slip through theperforation, thereby overcoming all danger of breakage of any of theparts.

It is of course to be understood that two persons are required to playthe game, one to pull and release the figure and the other to strike thecatch-plate.

Theparticular formof catch-plate described is one among many that couldbe employed, and the invention is not limited thereto. It is obviousthat other resilient or elastic material could be employed as asubstitute for the elastic bands shown and described Without departingfrom my invention, and that it could be embodied in other forms thanthose shown.

Having fully described the invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. A toy comprising a rapidly-movable Iigure and a manual device adaptedto intercept the'path of movement of the igure and to catch the same,substantially as and for the purpose speciiied.

2. A toy comprising a base, a figure, means for causing the figure tomake a back-andforth movement 011 the base, and a manual striking deviceadapted to intercept or to catch and retain the igure, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

3. A toy comprising a base, a igure having 5. A toy comprising a base, aligure, means for causing the figure to advance and retreat on the base,and l'a movable catch-plate located in the path of motion of the iigure,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. A toy comprising a base provided with a house or covering at one end,a tigure normally concealed within the house, resilient means connectingthe figure with the base, a pull-cord, a plate having a guide for saidcord, and a catch-plate on the base and in the path of motion of theiigure, substantially as and for the purpose speeiied.

'7. A toy comprising a base, a ligure movable thereon, and a catch-platelocated in the path of motion of the figure, adapted to intercept or tocatch and retain the same.

8. A toy comprising a base, a igure movable thereon, standards on thebase, a catchplate guided by said standards, and means for returningsaid plate to its normal position, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

9. A toy comprising a base provided with vertical standards, springssurrounding said standards, a catch-plate having perforated ears fittedon the standards, and a figure movable beneath the catch-plate,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

10. In a toy of the character set forth, a

catch-plate provided with a concave striking-- surface, and with a knobor protuberance, upon which the blow is tolbe delivered, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

` 11. A toy comprising a base, a block carry- IOO ing a igure movable onsaid base, and a device adapted to intercept the path of motion of thefigure Aand to catch and retain the same, substantially as and for` thepurpose specified.

12. A toy comprising a base provided with IIO retain the same,substantially as and forthe l purpose specified.

13. A toy comprising a base having a guideway, a series of blocksmovable in the guideway and detachably connected to move in unison inone direction and to be released, as

set forth, one of said blocks carrying a igure,

a pull-cord, and elastic cords connected with the blocks, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

14. A toy comprising a base having a guide- Way, a cross-head providedwith a cross-bar,

`a blockelastically connected with said crosshead and carrying alatch,an elastic cord connected to the rear end of the cross-head, and afigure movable with said cord, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

15. In a toy, the combination, with a striking device, of ablockprovided with a perforation snugly fitting and moving with a cord ISOand carrying a figure, substantially as and for g the purpose specified.

ally connected with the crossfliead, and 21. Iigure adapted to move Withthe cross-head, substantially as and for the purpose speeied Intestimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE A. GOODSON.

Witnesses:

EMMA F. ELMORE, FRANK D. MERCHANT.

